Trapped on stranded plane in Iran

AN airline passenger has told how she spent more than 22 hours trapped on a stranded plane in Iran. Solicitor Rozita Hussain said she and fellow travellers were given hardly any food or water as they waited on the Air France plane during a take-off delay lasting three days.

AN airline passenger has told how she spent more than 22 hours trapped on a stranded plane in Iran.

Solicitor Rozita Hussain said she and fellow travellers were given hardly any food or water as they waited on the Air France plane during a take-off delay lasting three days.

She said two passengers and a stewardess were so distressed they became hysterical and had to have medical treatment.

The airline blamed wintry weather in the Iranian capital Tehran for the hold-up.

Rozita, from Bramhall, near Stockport, said: "I was angry and upset. It felt like we had been abandoned."

The flight had been due to take off from Tehran at 2.20am local time last Sunday, so Rozita arrived at the airport on Saturday night. The plane started taxiing to the runway, but had to turn back when it started snowing. The crew told passengers they were waiting for a de-icing team and everyone was kept on board for eight hours.

They were then told to get off because it would not take off until the following day.

Rozita hitched a lift to a relative's house in the city and returned to the airport at 1pm on Monday. She and the other passengers got on the aircraft at 7pm and were then kept on board for more than 14 hours.

They were then decanted back to the terminal and did not start their journey until Tuesday. She eventually arrived home on Wednesday.

Rozita said: "The way we were treated by the airline at Tehran was terrible. Passengers ended up sharing sweets and a loaf of bread.

"They had to get drinks for themselves from the galley as they waited on board for hours. It was very distressing."

A spokesman for Air France said: "Due to extremely bad weather conditions, Air France operations at Tehran were severely impacted. Air France took the appropriate measures to ensure passengers were re-booked or re-routed on departing flights.

"Air France will be compensating passengers from the affected flights."